Trump moving ahead of Clinton in Ohio, according to latest poll

Columbus -- Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is pulling away from Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in Ohio, according to a new Quinnipiac University Poll released Oct. 3.

In a survey of 497 likely Ohio voters conducted in the days after the first presidential debate, 47 percent of respondents backed Trump, versus 42 percent who picked Clinton. Another 6 percent sided with Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.

But Clinton was ahead of Trump in three other swing states that were part of the Oct. 3 poll -- Florida (46 percent-41 percent), North Carolina (46 percent-43 percent) and Pennsylvania (45 percent-41 percent).

The results had a margin of error of more than 4 percentage points.

"Likely voters in Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania, the four largest and most important Swing States seem little closer to an Election Day decision," Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the poll, said in a released statement. "The good news for Sec. Clinton is that she has opened a five-point lead in Florida, in what had been a dead heat in Quinnipiac University's Sept. 8 poll. But Donald Trump holds his lead in Ohio and stays close in North Carolina while she retains her small margin in Pennsylvania."

Connecticut-based Quinnipiac regularly gauges the opinions of Ohioans and voters in other swing states on candidates and issues.

Among Ohio voters questioned over the past week, 50 percent said Clinton won the first presidential debate, with 24 percent siding with Trump.

Trump was ahead of Clinton among independent voters who were questioned.

"In some states, figuring why one candidate is doing better than the other takes some head scratching, but not in Ohio," Brown said. "Trump's 19-point lead among independent voters tells us almost all we need to know. Sec. Clinton must close that gap to come back in the Buckeye State."

Marc Kovac is the Dix Capital Bureau Chief. Email him at mkovac@dixcom.com or on Twitter at OhioCapitalBlog.